


you cannot command your love

by sandyk



Series: Cannot command your love [1]
Category: Superstore (TV)
Genre: F/M, rewrite of s3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 14:36:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16042451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandyk/pseuds/sandyk
Summary: Let's try again: something different from the way season three went.





	you cannot command your love

**Author's Note:**

> For the trope bingo square SHARING A BED. Not mine, no profit garnered. Title from, you guessed it, the National's Carin at the Liquor Store. I promise, this is the last time I rewrite the time between the tornado and the store re-opening. Promise! Thank you A!

The morning after the tornado, Jonah woke up in his car and his oldest brother was there. Gideon said, "Oh, we're going to hug." Then hugged him. As always, Jonah was reminded that Gideon was the tallest person in the family and the one most likely to leave a bruise from hugging. It was nice, though, he did love his family. Gideon let go and stepped back. He said, "Dad called. And Mom. We did a group chat." 

"And you live closest."

"I live closest, I have a big house. I flew down here, though. So we could drive home in your car. Then you'll know how close it is, you can remember for your next visit," Gideon said.

Gideon lived in the suburbs of Chicago, in Wilmette. Jonah tried to find driving soothing but he just kept remembering driving the other way. Gideon had pushed his seat back as far it would go since he was so darned tall. Gideon said, "Hey, you have three voice messages." Gideon tapped on the phone. "Should I put them on speaker?"

"You didn't guess my password," Jonah said. 

"I clearly did, in three tries," Gideon said. "Okay, I'll listen to them for you." He held the phone up to his ear and Jonah heard small tinny voices. Gideon said, "This is from a woman named Glenn. A man named Glenn? Sounds like a muppet. He says he's very sorry, he spoke to corporate, everyone will get their jobs back, even the people he laid off. But they have to rebuild the store, so no job for at least six weeks. Oh, he didn't get a chance to mention it yesterday but he forgives you for being dumped by Kristin." Gideon looked over at Jonah. "Who's Kristin?"

"Someone I was dating who dumped me, she was my boss's foster daughter," Jonah said. He couldn't believe that had been only a few days ago. 

"Message two," Gideon said. "Jeff called, hmm, hmmm, he says the same thing as Glenn but with a much nicer voice. He also left his personal phone number. Is Jeff hot?"

"No, not really," Jonah said. "Not my type, anyway, I can't believe he was Mateo's."

"And last message is from a woman," Gideon said. Jonah hoped he was about to say Amy's name. "Someone named Dina? She just wanted to say hi. She hopes you haven't died. That's nice."

"Dina's nice, that's something that is true," Jonah said. 

"Okay," Gideon said. "That was exciting." Gideon tapped on more buttons. "Jeez, kid, your bank balance is pathetic. And you need a new apartment, new clothes, new laptop. Okay, okay." Gideon put Jonah's phone down. He took out his own and started tapping out emails. 

Gideon's house looked the same. He hadn't done anything with the landscaping. Jonah appreciated that it wasn't a sprawling McMansion, but it was a still a big house. He rubbed his forehead and forced himself to get out of the car. 

Gideon told him to make himself comfortable in the guest bedroom, "please take a shower," maybe take a nap. "Come down for dinner at six."

Jonah took his marching orders. He did nap but fitfully, he kept waking up and falling back to sleep. He checked his phone again. Nothing from Amy. Well, she was probably pretty busy. 

Dinner was delicious, of course. Gideon had almost gone to culinary school after college, so he was stupid tall and an excellent cook. Sarah Anne was tall, too, and beautiful, both the girls were sweet and smart and nice. Jonah almost felt relaxed. Not really relaxed, but it was somewhat in sight. 

After dinner, he had Lily and Annabel almost falling asleep leaning against him on either side. They were watching Sound of Music. "This is a great film," Jonah said. 

Gideon came in from his home office and handed him a stack of papers with a pen. "Sign your name," Gideon said. "We've worked out getting you money."

"I see we're opening a joint account," Jonah said. "I assume I don't have much access or control here and it's funded from the grandchildren's trust. Look, I've been fine for over a year," Jonah said. "I've had a job for, for fifteen months."

"I know," Gideon said. "You haven't been hospitalized for sixteen months."

"I've been not hospitalized for longer," Jonah said. "I know that was bad sentence construction."

"Yeah, that's the point," Gideon said. "I know." He took sleeping Lily away, came back, took fast asleep Annabel away and then came back. "This is good."

"Good?" Jonah handed over the signed papers. "You look nervous and worried. That's my family role, bro."

Gideon rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm a dick because I'm worried this awful traumatic thing happening to you might make you end up in a hospital again. But everybody thinks you're doing great."

"That was convincing," Jonah said. "I'm sorry. I get it. But you know what? I've been fine. I've been great. I gambled a little. One day and then not again. That's literally it. I'm over thirty now, I'm pretty sure I'm moving out of unstable problem child territory."

Gideon exhaled loudly. Then he said, "You were over thirty when you were last in a hospital. I saw you there, remember?"

"I know," Jonah said. He stood up. "I'm going to bed. Thanks for the room."

"You're staying here until you get a new apartment," Gideon said. 

"So excited," Jonah said. He was super tempted to slam the door on his guest room. It looked very much like it had been decorated for a catalogue shoot and never touched again. He had nothing to move into it, which was a super depressing thought. He stared at his phone like he could will Amy to text him. Or call him. Or email him. Any of those options. He knew he could call her but it was too needy coming from him. Probably too needy. Maybe he'd try next week. 

~~

Dina was doing great. Sure, she was a little stressed, the birds were kind of wearing on her in a way they didn't normally wear on her. She was looking at some tight financial times if she didn't have a job for the next few months. Pretty tight. She should look for a temporary job. Maybe she could make Jeff get her a job. He was very easy to intimidate. She thought about it. 

She went back to watching her videos of Tonya Harding. She was such an amazing skater, really, a role model. So unfairly persecuted. Dina really felt that in her heart of hearts. 

She got up and made herself some avocado toast. She refused to admit she ate it, but she actually ate it all the time. Constantly. She made it pretty violently today, like make a hole when she was spreading the avocado violent. She sighed. It was still good. 

She paced around her kitchen, she liked to eat standing up. She liked it. Her life was great. 

She called Garrett. "Hey, what's up? You want to have sex? I have time."

"We all have time," Garrett said. "Sex sounds fine. Where?"

"I know a place," Dina said. 

It was fun driving to her ex-best friend's house. That stupid tax cheat wasn't getting out of jail for another two years, no chance anyone would be in the home. Unless the management company had rented it out again. But Dina had been checking, the last renters had moved out only a week ago, so no way new renters had moved in yet. 

After they had sex a few times, Dina showered. She got lost in hot water for a few seconds, her shower at home went from scalding to lukewarm and back to scalding with very little moderation. She didn't mind the scalding, it made her tough. But sometimes, she did enjoy just simple hot water. 

When she got out, Garrett was still there. He was back in his chair and dressed. She said, "I don't think the shower is accessible."

"It is not, I saw it."

"So you were just waiting for me?"

"Well, yeah. I didn't want to shout goodbye over the shower sound," Garrett said. "Strains the voice, you know. And you take quick showers."

"Yeah, I do. That was very polite of you," Dina said. "Thanks." She pulled on her shoes. "Hey, have you heard from Amy, any of them? I guess they're all just sitting around being unemployed. I called Jonah. And Amy. I'm looking forward to not talking to Glenn for a few months, I can tell you that."

"I didn't call anyone," Garrett said. "Why would I?"

"Well, call me at some point. It's your turn," Dina said. 

She called Jonah again. He actually answered this time. He said, "Oh, hey, actually, I'm staying with my brother in Chicago while I get a new place."

"Why do you need a new place?"

"Oh, see, my apartment building was destroyed by the tornado. Like the roof of Cloud 9," Jonah said. He had such a nice voice. Most of the time Dina ignored the nonsense words spewing out. 

"Oh, okay, great," Dina said. "Talk to you later."

She called Amy again since she'd succeeded in reaching Jonah. Staying in touch with valued employees was important. Dina had no interest in these people, except for Garrett and his sexual abilities, she just wanted to make sure Cloud 9 had a strong workforce when it was rebuilt. 

"Hi, Dina," Amy said heavily, sounding every year of her fortysomething age. 

"How's it going? I meant to ask on tornado day, are you divorced yet?" 

Amy sighed. "Yup, we're getting a divorce. Thanks for asking."

"I wasn't sure because you seemed to be chummy again after the tornado," Dina said. "But I guess that wouldn't really last with all the damage done."

"Nope," Amy said. "You nailed it. He moved out yesterday."

"How? Isn't he unemployed? Who's giving him money to afford that?"

"His parents," Amy said. 

"Aren't they out of state?"

"Yup," Amy said. "They had money for him to move out, but none to help out when we were married."

"Ah," Dina said. "They don't like you. Is it a racial thing?"

"No," Amy said. "I'm pretty sure. They love Emma. They send her stuff all the time."

"So if they're racists, it's just against you. That makes sense. Look, do you want to hang out?" Dina couldn't explain why it was important, but it was important. 

There was a long pause. "Okay," Amy said. 

~~

After her second weird lunch with Dina, Amy called Cheyenne again. They had to be back by now. "We are back," Cheyenne said. "We went to Dollywood cause Bo's aunt has an in with one of the janitors and we got to walk around at, like, 3 am, it was so cool. And we stayed in their guest room and they watched Harmonica so we had, like, a pretty good honeymoon. What did you for your honeymoon?"

"With my soon to be ex-husband? I love thinking about that," Amy said. 

"Oh, right. The timing was so good, I'm pretty glad the tornado hit right after we got married so I could go on my honeymoon and not get in trouble for taking too many days off," Cheyenne said. "I guess now I have to look for a new job."

"Dina says we'll all have our jobs back," Amy said. "I just had lunch with her."

"Wow, why?"

"I don't know," Amy said. "It wasn't bad, actually. She knows some good restaurants. It was nice to talk to someone, I guess."

"Is this what divorce does to you? Ugh, I hope that never happens to me," Cheyenne said.

"Me, too," Amy said, sighing. "Okay, gotta go."

Cheyenne was a lot for Amy to take. It had been all of two weeks since the tornado and the other events and then the divorce. Other events meaning when she kissed Jonah. Ugh, ugh, ugh, she thought. 

She went home and was alone. Emma was with Adam in his spiffy new apartment that had a pool at the complex. Amy would have liked a pool. She wondered if Jonah had a pool. Dina had said that Jonah was back in Chicago. Dina wasn't sure he'd come back. 

Amy wasn't sure she wanted him back. She really really did want him back, but she probably wanted that too much. It was wrong. It wasn't wrong, she was now divorced. She was technically separated. 

Amy's head hurt. 

Amy felt like she turned around and it was September. Emma had started school. They'd be back to work soon. She'd driven by the store and it looked so close to finished. She was happy about it. She was probably happy about it. She never knew how she felt lately. Stupid divorce. Separation.

She went out to lunch again with Dina. She didn't understand how they were suddenly such close friends. It was weird. "Everything is weird and stupid," Dina said.

"Exactly," Amy said. "What is up with that?"

"Well, of course you think that. Your life is nearly a shambles. It's getting there. You're separated, you've given up on your appearance. Who knows if you'll ever have sex again?"

"Thanks," Amy said. "Look, I'm separated. But I haven't given up on my appearance and I will definitely have sex again. Maybe I'll have sex next week. Or tomorrow. You never know."

"How are you going to have sex again in the next week? Sex with Adam doesn't count at all," Dina said. "Oh, you're going to go visit Jonah."

"Maybe," Amy said. "I could do that. I wonder what he's like in Chicago?"

"I think he's just more himself. His rich self," Dina said. 

"He's living with his older brother, right? He's probably totally regressed to annoying little brat brother. My brother did that when he moved in with my parents."

Dina nodded. "I can see it."

Since Amy had said she was going to do it, or Dina had said Amy was going to do it, Amy decided to do it. She was going to Chicago. Dina gave her the address. 

It would probably have made sense to have actually contacted Jonah before showing up. She hadn't even returned his texts. But she'd sort of passed messages from Dina to Jonah and back again. That counted. 

Amy drove up since Emma was with Adam for a few days. So she could just get in her car and drive to Chicago. Which took way longer than she thought and she thought it would be about five hours. But she liked time to think, time to just drive and listen to music and think. And how she should have at least texted Jonah. 

"Whatever," she said. "Whatever." 

She pulled up to the address and it was an enormous house. It wasn't as ostentatious as some of the houses, but it was so big. She couldn't understand how just five people lived in that house. How much space could they even take up?

It looked like she could park on the street, so she did. She was just getting out of the car, pushing on her back to stretch, when she heard Jonah saying, "Amy!"

He was smiling like a huge goober. He looked like he fit in perfectly. She wondered how much he'd spent on that haircut. But she was so happy to see him. It was so stupid. She was so glad. 

He hugged her with his strong arms and his expensive smell. He hadn't smelled like that when they were at Cloud 9. She sighed and she relaxed for once. She could kind of hug him forever. 

Then they were standing apart. She said, "That house is so big."

"I know," Jonah said. "I'm not rich like that, I'm the poor relation living in the guest room."

"Sure," Amy said. "So, um. I wanted to say hi. I wanted, I thought, hey, get out of the house. Just drive."

"Sure," Jonah said. He had the biggest smile on his face. He looked like an idiot. She liked him so much. "So," he said. "We kissed."

Amy hated him. She said, "Yeah. We did. So?"

"So. That seems like, maybe we should talk about it." He had that stupid perfect face.

"What's there to talk about?"

"I don't know. Are you still married? I know you're not, Dina told me. But you didn't talk to me. Though I really appreciate you drove all the way up here," Jonah said. 

"Yeah, we're getting a divorce. He moved out two days after the tornado. Emma's kind of miserable. She just started high school, so weird," Amy said. She didn't really have a lot of words. She wondered if she could leave now. 

Jonah smiled at her. He said, "We can talk about anything else."

"Okay, great," she said. 

One of Jonah's neighbors had pulled in across the street and got out of her car. Naturally, she walked straight over. Amy braced herself. The neighbor looked at Jonah and at Amy and then back at Jonah. Neighbor said, "Hey, Jonah. Uh. Are you heading back to St. Louis soon?"

"Soon, yeah. After Rosh Hashanah," Jonah said. 

"Oh, is that coming up?"

"Pretty soon," Jonah said. "Like, three weeks."

"Right," the neighbor said. She looked over at Amy and Amy just looked back at her. "Okay," neighbor said. "Talk to you later."

"Bye," Jonah said. After the neighbor went back into her own home, he said, "Should I have introduced you? I wasn't sure."

"So she knew I wasn't the new housekeeper? Sure," Amy said.

"I felt like she was right on the edge, right about to say something, but she pulled herself back," Jonah said. 

"Because she never said anything to me," Amy said. "If I'd been Dina --"

Jonah started laughing. "I'm trying to picture Dina driving up to say hi to me. I wonder what she'd wear."

"She does look weird out of uniform," Amy said. "We've been hanging out. I don't even know why. I guess she's watching a lot of figure skating?"

"I love figure skating," Jonah said. "Evan Lysacek is from around here."

"I don't know who that is," Amy said. "Please don't tell."

"So you, uh, you want to come inside?"

She smiled. "Okay. Okay, sure. I mean, I drove all this way up."

~~

"In conclusion, Finding Dory is super disturbing," Jonah said. "The start, the middle, she's so upset, and it doesn't diminish each time you watch it. I've watched it six times, it's just as awful each time."

"Maybe it's only just as awful each time to you," Amy said. "Do your nieces find it disturbing?"

"They've watched it a million times," Jonah said. 

"So you've watched it six times and you get upset each time," Amy said. She had a beautiful smile. "I haven't seen it since Emma said it was too baby for her. She's older than your nieces, teenagers have those kind of opinions."

"But you saw Moana? I distinctly remember a whole discussion about Moana," Jonah said. He hadn't expected to see Amy until he was back at work. He certainly wasn't expecting Amy to drive up just to see him. And she was being weird. Or Jonah was being weird. There was weirdness. 

"I wanted to see Moana," Amy said. "That was all me. I dragged Emma to it. But we both loved it, so whatever. So that's what you've done all summer? Watch Finding Dory?"

"Uh, mostly. Not really. I've been doing all the chauffeuring for the girls, and I finally caught up on the New Yorker. I did stuff," Jonah said. He had done stuff. He felt accomplished. Maybe he was wrong. "I found my new place. My furniture's being delivered."

"It sounds like a lot of work, picking things out of a catalog," Amy said. "When are you moving in?"

"In a few days," Jonah said. "We don't start back until the twenty eighth, right?"

"That's what Dina told me," Amy said. 

"Your best friend," Jonah said. 

Amy glared at him. "Just at work."

Gideon came home with Sarah Anne and the kids. Jonah introduced Amy and Gideon said, "You're staying the night?"

Amy had clearly not even thought about it, so Jonah jumped in and said, "Of course she is. It's a five hour drive."

"I can get a motel," Amy said. "Or hotel."

"That's ridiculous," Jonah said. "There's obviously room here."

"Obviously," Gideon said. "Anyway, we have takeout. Should we order more?"

"No," Sarah Anne said. "We have enough food to feed a family of twenty."

"Sarah Anne is the youngest of twenty," Gideon said.

"He's joking," Sarah Anne said. "He think he's hilarious."

"Family trait," Amy said. 

They sat down to dinner. It was Thai takeout from the ridiculously expensive place Sarah Anne liked. It was also delicious. Jonah was going to miss it. 

Amy said, "So, Gideon. You're tall, taller than Jonah."

"He's the tallest in the family," Jonah said.

"Also, I get told I don't look Jewish a lot," Gideon said. "Not something people say to Jonah or Daniel."

"We look very Jewish," Jonah said. 

Amy said, "Am I allowed to agree?"

"In this specific context," Sarah Anne said. 

Amy smiled and looked genuinely happy. She also said the Thai was delicious. They watched Star Wars, the original movie, which Jonah and Sarah Anne loved, but Gideon and Amy and the girls only liked. "It's not right, you should like it more," Sarah Anne said. "I can't believe I married someone who doesn't love this movie."

"It's a good movie," Amy said. "It's not my favorite."

"If your favorite isn't Empire Strikes Back, I don't know if I can speak to you anymore," Sarah Anne said.

"She says that," Gideon said. "She doesn't mean it."

"Yes, I do," Sarah Anne said. 

After everyone else went to bed, Amy was sitting on the couch with her feet tucked underneath her. She said, "Your family is nice."

"Your family is nice, too."

"You've only met my parents," Amy said. "My sister is a lot to take."

"So is Daniel, frankly," Jonah said. 

"But Gideon, wow, he's a tall drink of water, huh?"

Jonah couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes. "He's not that great."

Amy leaned into him. "You're such a little brother."

"You're such a big sister," Jonah said.

They were looking at each other, there was something in Amy's eyes, something soft. He leaned forward and they were kissing again. She had soft lips and she was so beautiful, he wished they could kiss forever. Amy sat back. "Oh, we shouldn't."

"Why?" He sat farther back. "Okay, we shouldn't."

"You gave in quick." Amy stood up. "So where am I staying?"

Jonah decided to ignore her first comment. He said, "I figured you could stay in my room and I can sleep out here."

"On the couch? Don't be silly, don't give up your bed."

"It's not my bed," Jonah said. "It's the bed in the guestroom."

"How does this place only have one guestroom?"

Jonah shrugged. "There are two other bedrooms, but the girls use them. You'd have to pull out the bed and clean up the toys."

"I can do that," Amy said.

"That's ridiculous," Jonah said. 

"Okay, we'll share the bed," Amy said. She turned around before Jonah could see her face.

He said, "Are you sure? What about we shouldn't?" 

"Yeah, we shouldn't make out. That would be bad. No making out. But, um, we could share a bed. I trust you," Amy said. She turned to look at him. "Am I going the right way? I'm actually exhausted."

He led her to his room which he wished he'd cleaned. It didn't look that bad, but he would have cleaned up more for Amy. She sat on the bed and took off her shoes. She said, "I just think we shouldn't. I mean, with the kiss. I just got separated. Like, after a very long relationship. I think. I feel like I'd like to date some really regrettable choices, or like, not you."

"You think you should not date me?" He tried not to look hurt.

"I think if we date, I don't want it to be the first thing I do, the first person I do after my divorce," Amy said. She got up and started pacing. "Anyway. Get in bed. I'm going to brush my teeth."

They went to bed with both of them on separate sides of the bed, turned on their sides away from each other. Amy said, "Do you fart a lot at night?"

Jonah laughed. "I have no idea."

"Didn't Kristin tell you?"

"She only slept over a few times," Jonah said. 

"I don't fart, ever, of course," Amy said. 

"Of course," Jonah said. 

When Jonah woke up, he and Amy had somehow ended up smushed together, like magnets. Like their bodies called to each other. Jonah had drooled a little, he could feel it on his forearm. He took a deep breath and enjoyed this moment of knowing how soft and warm Amy was in his arms. His one arm around her. Amy said, "Hmm. I have to pee." She got out of bed. She looked unbelievably cute in her t-shirt and undies. 

He closed his eyes and almost fell back asleep except then he had to pee. Pillow talk about farts and consecutive peeing, he and Amy really were a romance for the ages. When they were both back in bed, he turned to get on side away from her but she tugged at his shoulder. He said, "You prefer the snuggle?"

She mumbled something and pushed herself into him. He loved her whole perfect body, every squishy inch of it. She pushed something into his hand. He looked at it and said, "Condom? Wait, condom?"

"It took forever to find, you really had it hidden," she said. 

"The girls come in this room and use the bathroom all the time," Jonah said. "I haven't even used them."

"I think we should," she said. She wiggled against his dick which was just getting harder. "You agree, right?"

"Yes, absolutely," Jonah said. "I assume this is one of those what happens in Wilmette stays in Wilmette situation." He reached for her panties, hesitated. He waited for Amy to move.

She grabbed his dick in a friendly nice way, not a grabby way, grab was the wrong word, she had great hands and they were holding, groping, something like that. Something that felt fantastic. He pulled her panties down to her thighs and rubbed his fingers between her legs, she was already wet. That was flattering, he thought. Definitely flattering. He knew she wanted him, he could tell by her hands on his dick, the way she kept giggling. He kissed her lips, her chin, her neck, wherever he could make her moan. 

Then she got the condom on and there was a lot of shifting and awkwardness until finally he was inside her and thrusting easily. She pushed against him and he was feeling so fucking good while also fucking which made him laugh because she was funny. "You're funny," Jonah said. 

He came first and Amy tightened around him, her leg squeezing his thigh and hip. She came, too. He said, "Amy."

"That's my name," she said, clutching at his arm. "That was nice."

He got out of the bed and threw out the condom and then put some balled up tissue on top of it. He added a few more pieces of tissue. Not that his nieces ever looked through his trash can but he really wanted to be super sure. Finally he turned on the shower. He turned to say something to Amy, something more than her name. Something really clever or eloquent. She said, "Let's shower."

"Save water," Jonah said. 

"Probably not," Amy said. She got right in and went straight to the business of showering. Jonah didn't think there was going to be any shower sex today. Maybe ever.

She moved him around so he could clean his hair and soap it up. She said, "This is not the most masculine scent." She held up his body wash.

"What is a masculine scent? Barbecue sauce? Raw meat?"

"Not this floral stuff," Amy said.

"It's not floral, it's sandalwood," Jonah said. 

"You wear it all the time," Amy said. She was lathering up. "I know this smell."

"I do wear it all the time," Jonah said. "It's my favorite."

Jonah got out of the shower and dried off. He found a clean towel and left it for Amy. He moisturized and got dressed. Then he thought, Amy had no clean clothes. He went to Gideon and Sarah Anne's room. They left the door open after they woke up when they were okay with the girls coming in. 

"Hey," Jonah said. "So, um, Amy wasn't expecting to spend the night."

"But then she saw your summer tan and that bandana you keep wearing," Sarah Anne said. 

"I sweat," Jonah said. "Clothes. I was wondering about clothes. I know you're not the same size."

"Oh," Sarah Anne said. "Your girlfriend needs some clothes. I like her. You should marry her."

"That's incredibly premature," Jonah said. He'd thought about it, sure, but Sarah Anne didn't know that. 

Sarah Anne rooted around in her drawers and then gave Jonah a folded pile of clothes. "She'll look so cute. You really should marry her."

"Thanks," Jonah said.

"You should marry her," Gideon said. "She's great."

"You two are so helpful," Jonah said. "She just got divorced."

"I didn't say get married this month," Sarah Anne said. "But think about it."

Jonah brought the clothes back. Amy was standing in front of the bed, scowling at her clothes. "You really borrowed clothes for me?"

"Hope it fits," Jonah said. 

"I'll take it," Amy said. "Show me where the laundry room is. I'm sure there's a laundry room. Are there three? One for each person?"

"One laundry room," Jonah said. 

Amy took her clothes and the sheets from the bed. She got up on the washing machine and smiled at him. He leaned against the machine, between her legs. "You actually look super cute in Sarah Anne's clothes."

"They don't really fit," Amy said. "But it was super sweet."

He was looking at her face again and how pretty she was and she was looking at him and then they were kissing again. She held his jaw and then her hands were in his hair. She said, "Cause, like, I suspect I'll be awful at dating and I don't want to be awful with you."

"You could be," he said. "But it's up to you." He kissed her again, though. 

She jumped off the washing machine and closed the door on the laundry room, putting a chair against the door. "Not to be paranoid, but I know kids."

"Are we going to do something?"

"Yes," Amy said. "If you want to."

"Of course, I want to." 

It was pretty great sex, again, and when they were done, after the second time, Amy got back into her now clean clothes. 

"So, I should leave now," Amy said. "You remember, what happens in mansions, stays in mansions."

"I said Wilmette, I don't think this is technically a mansion," Jonah said. "It's not important. Can I kiss you goodbye?"

"As long as you act like this didn't happen when we're back at work," Amy said. "You are coming back, right?"

"Of course I am," Jonah said. "I, I was always planning to go back, even before this. Not to pressure you."

"Okay," Amy said, nodding her head.

~~

Dina was glad to be at work. She was also relieved. It was so much better than being at home all the time, not working. Initially, Glenn had screwed up as usual. It wasn't until Jeff got a hard on for Jonah and called him wondering if he was back at work that they all found out Glenn was an idiot. No, they all already knew that, but they had a new demonstration of it. More evidence. So everyone was back at work by the 23rd. 

Shifts were weird, though. The store wasn't open so they were just stocking things, doing some light retrainings. Everyone was out the door by six pm. Dina found herself hating that. She missed a typical work day. 

She followed Jonah's car one night as he drove home. It was just for fun, keeping her skills honed. He lived in a brand new building. If anyone ever doubted Jonah came from money, the proof was in the pudding bowl he was living in. Or the building full of fancy condos. Dina parked because she wasn't sleepy at all and she liked to people watch in the richy rich area. 

She got bored with people watching after a half hour and drove home. She called Amy because that usually passed some time and made her sleepy. They ended up at some coffee shop where Dina could get decent lemonade and Amy could get her gross dairy with coffee added. Amy mentioned for the millionth time she was planning to get a tattoo.

"Just do it," Dina said. "How hard is that? Pick a guy with a tattoo gun and show up."

"It's expensive," Amy said.

"Please, three of our stupid ass new hires do tattoos in their garages. There's no way that's expensive," Dina said. "Honestly, get it on your butt, and I bet you don't even have to pay."

"That's a great way to get a really bad tattoo that gets infected," Amy said. "I have some stupid cousins, I've seen the results. I'm going to an actual studio and paying to get something nice and not on some diseased kitchen table."

"That makes sense," Dina said. "But why not just make the appointment?"

"I don't know, you're right," Amy said. "I'm not made of money, you know. Emma's in high school now, Adam barely has a job."

"But you're not supporting him anymore," Dina said. 

Amy rolled her eyes and looked even older than usual. "I'll do it. Okay? What's next, you set me up with someone? Please don't."

"You're not ready," Dina said. "Unless you just want sex. I could set you up with some prime one night stand material. Well, they're good for one night stands. You already have herpes, right?"

"No," Amy said. "And I've already had sex." She pressed her lips together.

"No you haven't." Dina believed her but the only way to get Amy to talk was to poke her with a stick. 

"Yes, I have," Amy said. "It's not important. I don't want to talk about it."

"Of course you do. You popped your cherry again!" Poke, poke, Dina thought. 

"It was nothing like that," Amy said. Another eyeroll that made her look fifty. "It was way better than my first time."

"Yeah, how hard is that? My first time sucked, too," Dina said. It hadn't been that bad, but Dina liked to empathize with Amy. 

"You told me it was great," Amy said. "Well, not great, you said it was mediocre, you said it didn't suck."

"Fine, I'm trying to get you to say who you had sex with," Dina said.

Amy huffed. She said, "It was Jonah and if you tell anyone, I'll staple your ear to the wall."

"That's a familiar threat," Dina said. Huh, she thought. Dina said, "Jonah, really? And it was good?"

"It was good. It was definitely good. But it won't happen again," Amy said. "Totally bad idea. You're right, I'm not ready."

Dina couldn't get any decent details from Amy about Jonah's penis, so Dina headed home. She didn't exactly sleep but she closed her eyes for a while. If Rodriguez could get laid by her big crush object, then life wasn't so awful, not completely.


End file.
